LOS ANGELES  The only capacity in which Jesse Hahn has ever taken the mound for the Padres is as a starting pitcher. He still managed to get the save on Tuesday.

This wasn't Hahn hurling ninth-inning breaking balls to save the Padres, though. This was very much the Padres saving him.

Before San Diego stepped onto the field for Game 1 of a three-game series vs. the Dodgers Tuesday, Hahn was demoted to AA-San Antonio while left-handed reliever Frank Garces was brought up. This upset some social-media squawkers, who loathed the fact that one of the few bright spots for the Padres was being dimmed.

When you look at this team's roster, sending Hahn down to the minors kind of feels like sacrificing a rook when it could have been a pawn. But if chess is the metaphor here, then it's important to understand that the organization's top priority is keeping Hahn's young arm in check.

"This is the plan we talked about," said Padres manager Bud Black. "It was time to option Jesse and give him a little break."

The Padres' problems are broad and deep-seeded, but among the most debilitating has been health. Whether it's Carlos Quentin, Andrew Cashner, Yonder Alonso or Cameron Maybin, we've regularly seen potential impact players become impaired players.

Yes, injuries are part of the game, and something the more adept franchises can overcome by strengthening the roster's rank and file. But even with all the shortcomings this year's Padres have endured, isn't there a part of you wondering what might have been had the disabled list not been the disabled scroll?

Obviously, preventative measures can only be so effective. You can never come anywhere close to guaranteeing long-term health. However, by curtailing Hahn's workload for the time being, the Padres are at least demonstrating that they have a long-term vision.

"I know that this organization cares about me, cares about my arm, and is doing the right thing," said Hahn from the bowels of Dodger Stadium Tuesday. "It will be good for next year."

Let's glance at some of the numbers.

In 70 innings pitched this season at the big-league level, Hahn has a 7-3 record and a 2.96 ERA. He's struck out 65 batters -- just five shy of averaging one per inning -- and boasts a WHIP of 1.129. Those may not be All-Star statistics, but they're not far away. And while Hahn's sample size is relatively modest, he's put in more than enough work to prompt reasonable optimism among fans.

But the other number to look at is 110.1. That's the total innings pitched in 2014 between the San Antonio and the majors, which is over 40 more than he threw altogether in the minors last year.

We're constantly seeing evidence testifying to the tenuous nature of a big-league arm, and we just as frequently witness the consequences of pushing those arms beyond what they are designed to withstand. So given the careers we've seen forever stunted because of one too many curveballs, there's no reason to burden Hahn with unnecessary innings right now.

Hahn said Tuesday that his arm feels good, that he doesn't feel tired at all, and that his competitive side is "a little bummed out because I feel like I deserve to be here."

But he also knew that his assignment was prompted by the best of intentions, and Padres fans should, too. At full capacity, this Padres pitching staff is among the top five in Major League Baseball, and it's not worth disrupting such a potent group when this season is borderline unsalvageable.

Besides, this shouldn't be it for Hahn this year. In all likelihood, he'll be back with the Padres come September 1, when he may very well be designated to the bullpen for the rest of the season.

Fitting place for him. If Hahn were to get through 2014 healthy, that would bring true relief.